


What was lacking

by ImaginationReaper98



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-11
Updated: 2016-12-11
Packaged: 2018-09-07 20:36:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8815480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImaginationReaper98/pseuds/ImaginationReaper98
Summary: Arya dreamt of her parents again, but this time it was different.





	

Arya dreamt of her parents again, but this time it was different. She did not watch her Father get butchered like a lamb in Baelor's Sept nor did she look down at her mother's corpse covered in a pool of her own blood. Instead, it was something good and the change unsettled her. She had grown used to her nightmares that this sudden shift felt strange.

It was a fragment of a memory, a sweet one.  Her father was caressing her mother's face and gazed at her lovingly. He kissed her brow ever so softly and her mother's smile was as warm as the red of her hair.

A tear fell unbidden from her eye while she sat on her bed, listening to the wind rattling the shutters of the windows. It was odd that she would cry after a dream so sweet.

Seven moons had passed by since spring arrived. It was the first time Arya had witnessed winter ebb away as spring took over. It was beautiful, how the green grass started to grow and the wild northern flowers started to bloom. _Sansa would've loved it, she always loved everything beautiful_. Her sister was dead, as well as most of the people she cared of. Even the arrival of spring could never bring them back.

She still has Jon though, but he had found a new home for himself, a new family. He told Arya she would always be his sister and would love her just as he always did. The warmth in his dark eyes, those solemn grey orbs that were so like her father's, made her believe his words. No matter how strong her love for Jon was, it could not make her leave home again. She wasn't the one with dragon blood in her veins. She also had Bran, but he was not the Bran she knew as a child, the same way she wasn't the Arya that left him all those years ago. Rickon was a wild thing; he was aggravating but endearing all the same.

Arya remained home. Bran was Lord of Winterfell and sat on their father's place as the Warden of the North. His wisdom made him very good at it.

All was well, but somehow Arya felt like something was lacking.

 

…

 

Arya did not go to the capital when Jon married the Dragon Queen. She wanted to, but she would not break the promise she made to herself. _I'll never leave home again, never_.

Bran did go south. Arya wondered how the Southron court would treat the crippled Lord of Winterfell now that a new Queen sits on the Iron Throne. _Did the dragons petrify the snakes?_

She embraced her brother tightly before he left, as if she does not want him to leave at all.

He smiled at her, "I'll be back before you know it, Arya. Don't worry."

He was right. Arya was too busy with her duties in Winterfell that she barely noticed the time pass. Bran was back not before two moons after the day he left, but it felt like a week to her. Her brother spoke highly of Jon's new wife, the Queen. Arya has only heard stories about Daenerys Targaryen and she does not think half of those tales has some truth to them, but Bran's words are to be trusted.

His brother found the Queen as the most extraordinary woman in Westeros. Tales about her beauty were not exaggerated according to him and that she was a more than capable ruler whose intent was good. He also spoke of how clear Jon's affection for her was and that his love was not unrequited. She was happy to hear that.

Arya sent Jon letters as often as she could, and so did he. He wrote clever remarks about the capital and the people at court, his dry humor in full display. His letters were something she looked forward to after a day of chasing Rickon around and offering what was hopefully some useful counsel to Bran.

Once he wrote of how he declined an offer most men would kill for. A crown, a throne, dominion over the seven kingdoms. Not that it surprised Arya.

_I do not wish to become a king. The realm already has Dany as the Queen; that is more than enough._

 

…

 

Arya slowed her horse down to a canter then stopped right by Bran's side. He was looking out as the sun sank low beyond the horizon.

"I miss her," said Bran softly. He need not mention a name for Arya to know.

"You could always seek her out, marry her even."

Her brother was smiling yet his eyes were solemn. "Perhaps,"

 

…

 

A large number of guests, including the lords of the North, were in Winterfell for Bran's wedding to Meera Reed. Arya was not surprised about that. What she was not ready for was the arrival of two Princes.

Jon and his company reached Winterfell mere days before the wedding. He dismounted his horse and Arya ran to him. They embraced, laughing as he spun her around. "You have really grown into a lady, my lady." he said teasingly.

"Why didn't you-"

"I wanted to surprise you." Jon's smile was soft.

Arya caught a movement from behind Jon and her eyes darted to a young man getting down from his horse. He looked out of place with his noticeable silver-gold hair and fine clothes of scarlet and black. The man, the _prince_ , walked towards his brother.

Jon clapped him by the shoulder. "This is the Crown Prince Aegon, my brother."

Arya bowed her head in a gesture of respect. "Welcome to Winterfell, my prince."

Prince Aegon appraised her carefully, his eyes locked on her face. "It is a great pleasure to finally meet you, Arya Stark. Your brother told me much about you."

As they made their way to the Great Keep where Bran and the Northern Lords were waiting, Arya was burning holes at Prince Aegon's back, wondering whether she hated or liked him.

 

…

 

"Aegon is polite, but not in the way that people are used to. Like for instance, he addressed you as Arya Stark alone instead of Lady Arya." Jon said with a laugh.

"He's odd," Arya remarked.

"A good kind of oddity, I hope."

She stared at her cousin that was once her brother. _No, not once. He is and always will be her brother._ "Are you happy, Jon?"

The words felt heavy on her tongue. It was a thousand questions rolled into one. _Were you truthful in the letters you wrote? Are you really doing well in the capital? Is your new family really kind to you? Do you really love your wife?_

"I am, my sister." Jon's smile was warm. He missed his smile the most.

She took a long gulp of her wine and said, "I'm not your sister."

He laughed. "I could always tell when you're lying."

 

…

 

Arya was sitting at her chair nursing a goblet of wine. It was one of the best she ever tasted. Thankfully they had barrels of it more than enough to fill the guts of thirsty Northerners. It was one of the many gifts from Queen Daenerys for the newly wedded Lord and Lady of Winterfell.

"Arya Stark," a voice said from behind her. She spun around and saw Prince Aegon smiling at her. "Why are you not dancing?"

"Why aren't _you_ dancing, Aegon Targaryen? With all those women vying for your attention." _He is the prince and treat him as one_ , my mother would've said angrily.

Prince Aegon only smiled and his dark purple eyes were glinting. "It came to my knowledge that the lady I'd like to dance with does not seem to have any desire to do such a thing."

"And who is this lucky lady?" she asked, humoring him.

He moved closer, but not too close. "I can't tell you that, I'm afraid."

 

…

 

While they broke their fast, Jon asked Arya to take Prince Aegon out for a ride. She would have thought his motive was pure if it weren't for the sly smirk on his face. Perhaps Jon has spent too much time in the capital. With spring in full bloom and the Northern air cool and soothing, it was indeed a fine day for a ride. So Arya agreed.

When she arrived at the stables, Prince Aegon was already there. He was tending to his black destrier and his head whipped when he heard her approach.

"I was starting to think you would not come." he said.

"I am true to my word, my prince."

Men were convinced that Arya Stark was the best rider in the North. Aegon Targaryen may already be one of those men. Arya rode past him, swift as the wind, and the gallant Targaryen Prince tried to keep up as best as he could and failed.

His laugh reached her ears as he managed to get closer. It was loud and free; it made Arya smile despite herself.

 

…

 

When Prince Aegon finally showed her the thing he hid behind his back, she did not expect it to be a flower. It was a yellow one from the glass gardens, in full bloom like the spring.

"How am I supposed to react?" I asked him jokingly.

He grinned. "You're supposed to take this lovely little thing I have for you and thank me with flushed cheeks and a timid smile like any proper lady would."

She snorted, not at all ladylike. Aegon had proven himself to be good company in the days that had passed. It finally made sense why Jon warmed up to him so quickly. Arya took the flower from his hand ever so gently only to throw it away immediately. Aegon laughed and picked it from the damp ground.

"You do not know what great lengths I had to reach just to have this flower to give to you, my lady. It would be a waste to discard it like garbage."

He took her hand and placed it on her palm. His skin was warm and Arya felt a queer tingle on her spine as his violet eyes gazed at her penetratingly. She removed her hand from his like it burned to touch him and looked away from his eyes.

"What is the Queen like?" Arya asked him. Though she said it to change the subject, she tuly was curious about Queen Daenerys. Of course Arya have heard of the tales and songs about her and some from Bran and Jon himself, but she wanted to ask Aegon too.

A fond smile was painted on his face when he spoke. "Dany is…extraordinary. Yes, she's a true conqueror, a born leader. Clever and strong-willed and impossibly beautiful. Beneath the hard exterior is a woman with a genuine heart, a Queen who truly cares for her people."

"You only said what was already spoken about her."

He shrugged. "Well, it is true. I do think you'll like her, and she would definitely be fond of you. She's my only family, her and Jon." Aegon's smile widened. "I love them terribly."

 

…

 

Aegon was staring at her for most of the evening. She ignored it at first until it started to give her an odd sense of discomfort. His gaze was unreadable but his lips were always turned up in a smile. Arya arched her brow and gave him a questioning look. Still, his eyes never left her.

After that, he sent Arya a note. In a hasty yet elegant scrawl, it told her that he wanted to meet her in the godswood. He did not mention a particular time and only said that he'd be waiting for her. Curiosity prevailed and Arya put on her thick fur cloak then stepped out into the night.

She saw Aegon before he saw her and he beamed when he did.

"I almost thought you weren't coming."

She chuckled. "You always say that."

All of a sudden he took both of her hands, taking Arya by surprise.

"Your hands are cold." he said, his voice barely more than a whisper.

Arya's body betrayed her mind. "Yours are-"

"Warm, I know." There was a small smile on his face, his cheeks flushed from the chill. He was giving her that penetrating look again. Her head was screaming, telling her how ridiculous the situation was. That Arya shouldn't fall for this purple-eyed Prince's charms. But when Aegon leaned down to press his lips to hers, she did not protest. Instead, she let herself melt into his touch. It felt good, kissing Aegon. He smelled of spring and tasted of hope.

They pulled away to catch their breaths, smirking at each other.

 

…

 

Arya's parents visited her dreams again. Tiny snowflakes fell from the sky and her mother's laughter rang through the air. Her father was looking at Lady Stark like she was the sun, his smile softening his grey eyes.

When she woke, not a single tear flowed down from her eyes. She was smiling as the first light of the morning passed through the windows of her room.

She was happy, she realized.


End file.
